scent of a woman

One Story, Six Movies

Six very similar films. About a Boy, St.Vincent, Intouchables, Scent of a Woman, You're not You and Driving Lessons films.

I have noticed the following story has been redone many times.

With slight variations, the general story lines are extremely similar:

The unsuspecting and naive child or ‘street kid’ helps a disabled or lonely adult who drinks a lot and whom nobody likes. In return, the adult helps the younger person mature.

Here is the check list to qualify for this ‘sub-genre’:

Heavy drinking scenes
Adult and young adult/child combo
Driving is to be involved in at least one scene
The younger of the two will become more confident and mature at the end
The older of the two will have a new-found acceptance or appreciation of life (except for You’re Not You… lol)
Comedy/drama genre
At least one character is witty with good come-backs
If it’s an English movie, some haircuts will be questionable
Tends to have a good soundtrack

Driving Lessons
“When a woman says she doesn’t want to go on, she doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to go on! I’m just nervous!”
Rupert Grint and Julie Walters in Driving Lessons film Evie (Julie Walters) is a retired actress who is lonely and drinks a lot. She hires a young man, Ben (Rupert Grint), to help her around the house. Ben is unwittingly taken on a camping trip on the way up to Edinburgh. Ron learns to relax and indulge his writing talent, and Evie learns to move on from grief and loneliness after making piece with her acting career.

Scent of a Woman
“I don’t know whether to shoot you, or adopt you!”
Frank Slade (Al Pacino) is a retired, blind Lieutenant Colonel who is lonely and drinks a lot. He hires a young man, Charlie (Chris O’Donnel), as a caregiver over a long weekend. Charlie is unwittingly taken on a trip to New York with no expense spared. Charlie learns that a problem back at his school can be solved through loyalty and not by snitching. Frank learns there is still something to live for despite being hated, lonely and blind.

You’re Not You
“She doesn’t make me feel like a patient”
You're Not You Hilary Swank film Kate (Hilary Swank) is a pianist diagnosed with ALS and hires a young woman Bec, (Emmy Rossum) as a caregiver. They decide to take a few trips together. Kate learns that she doesn’t want to be with her husband and accepts her fate, and Bec realises she can be a performer without fear.

The Intouchables
“That’s what I want… No pity.”
The Intouchables film Philippe (François Cluzet) is a quadriplegic and hires a young man Driss, (Omar Sy) as his caregiver. They go out together on numerous drives and adventures. Philippe learns that he can still enjoy life, and Driss gets out of the gang life and on the straight and narrow, supporting his family.

St. Vincent
“He doesn’t like people, people don’t like him… Why do you like him?”
Vincent (Bill Murray) is a retired veteran who is hired to be the after-school caregiver for his new neighbour 12-year-old Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). After school activities St. Vincent film involve going to the races, gambling and going to the pub. Oliver learns to confront his bullies and becomes more mature. Vincent learns that not everyone hates him, and despite having a tremendous ‘absolute low’ during the film, finds friends who include him as family. He also matures thanks to Oliver.

About a Boy
“I’m an island”
Will (Hugh Grant) is a wealthy man in early retirement who is approached by 12-year-old Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) who Will reluctantly takes under his wing. After regular after-school caregiving, Will tries to make Marcus ‘cooler’ to help him not get bullied so often. Hugh Grant in About a Boy film He also tries to help with his suicidal mother’s depression. Marcus learns to be himself in a way where he doesn’t get bullied, and Will learns that being alone won’t make him happy. That family and friends can bring happiness.

Some of these films are certainly amazing though. Must be a popular tale!
Let me know if you can think of any more!

Jodie.

Top 5: Lies Films Told Me About University

Monsters University film — I haven’t seen Monsters University, but I would imagine that would have skewed my perception of tertiary education as well. Probably would have been disappointed not to see one-eyed monsters or something.

Because of my obsessive indulgence in movies, I have found myself to be continually underwhelmed and disappointing at every stage of life. Starting high school, turning 16, first party, turning 18 and, the biggest disappointment of all: going to university.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower film - I'm below average! — C minus, ladies and gentlemen! I am below average!

Of course, American schools are totally different to the likes of New Zealand schools. But these movies certainly raised my expectations.

Particularly on the day I got accepted into uni, and the night before my first day of uni. It was all like a normal day for me, thank you very much The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Toy Story 3 and American Graffiti.

(Although, I didn’t actually “leave” for uni, so that may have been why…)

Here are my top five disappointments, thanks to university/college-based movies:

Everyone will look sophisticated all the time
Thank you Big Fish and The Notebook. Despite only having one or two scenes set in university, everyone looks incredible. Okay, okay, they were both set in the 40s/50s, but that didn’t stop me hoping for the best.

Unfortunately, just like the odd non-uniform day at high school, everyone wears their best clothes on the first day of university. But by week two, the sweat pants, ugg boots and the odd onesie begins to creep in. That was disappointing.

Everyone is wise beyond their years
Thanks The Pelican Brief , 21 and Good Will Hunting.
They actually act like adults, studying law and maths! Every movie, I was watching psychologists, mathematicians, lawyers…

Despite only studying communications, I thought I’d be surrounded by people intrigued by ethics and politics. As it turns out, we are no wiser than we were in high school a few months previous, and we don’t suddenly become open minded and smart just because we’ve been accepted into university. I thought we’d all be calling out corrupted corporations, and getting shoulder-tapped for major companies within a year.

Sadly, this was not the case. At all.

There will be a diversity and range of interesting people

University-based film, Pitch Perfect film — “But if you think this is just some high school club where you can sing and dance your way through any social issue… Or confuse sexuality, you have come to the wrong place.”

Thanks Pitch Perfect.
I never met a fun-loving Fat Amy, a rebellious Beca or a strange Lily. Everyone was just like me: a middle of the road, average Jo, without a whole load of talent for singing. Gutted.

I guess I just assumed everyone would suddenly become cool over the summer, will work out who they are and flaunt it by the time they reach uni. However, there is actually still a hierarchy at uni. In fact, along with our self-confidence, we’ve been demoted back to ‘the newbie,’ like we were in high school.

Big parties. All the time.
Thanks 22 Jump Street.
Okay, you’re probably thinking: “Jodie, there were huge parties, you just didn’t want to socialise.” Or, “Jodie, we had awesome parties but you weren’t invited.”

Perhaps that is true. Nevertheless, I had never even heard a whisper about “that party last night that became a street party where that millionaire’s son bought everyone a round of drinks and I got dropped home in a Ferrari.”

Extraordinary things will happen
Thanks Scent of a Woman, The Social Network and 21.
I never got whisked away to New York by accident after agreeing to look after a blind man. Nor did anything absolutely scandalous occur, like in The Social Network. Nor was I trained up to win big in Vegas casinos, like in 21.

University was a pretty mundane experience actually.

Add the lies Hollywood told you in the comments section below! May do a high school one if you’re interested.

Jodie.

Top 7: Best Movie Meltdowns

Disclaimer: Contains frequent bad language!

I’m sure everybody has fantasised about flipping out. Here are some characters who release their wrath on our behalf.

“I didn’t get to try this F***ING COOKIE!”
I’m sure you all remember Annie’s (Kristen Wiig’s) flip-out in Bridesmaids. I can so relate. So hilarious.

“What is WRONG with you people!?”
Young Adult is a wicked film by the same director who did Juno. Charlize Theron plays her delusional character so convincingly.

“That’s all you’ve got, lady! Two wrong feet and f***ing ugly shoes!”
Erin Brockovich is scattered with sassy one-liners. I love this scene though. Julia Roberts is fantastic in this.

“You were HITTING ON HER!”
Prudie’s (Emily Blunt’s) emotional break-down is so well done in The Jane Austen Book Club. (You’re never gonna get me to shut-up about this movie.) I can’t find the scene on YouTube, but those of you who have seen the movie will know what I’m talking about.

Prudie’s break-down is just after her mother’s funeral where she thinks her husband was flirting with a girl she went to high school with. Just imagine Prudie punching you in the face with emotion as you read the script:

Dean: I talked to her… I talked to her for like five minutes.

Prudie: Longer. Longer, Dean. And with those ridiculous plastic boobs. Is that what you go for?

Dean: Prudie, you know, I was just trying to be nice to your friend. Okay.

Prudie: Chloe Baher is not my friend, Dean. Chloe Baher came to my mother’s funeral to gloat. “Ha-ha! Your mother’s dead.” And you hit on her! You hit on her!

Dean: I was not hitting on her.

Prudie: You know, when I was in the 10th grade, I wrote an entire paper on Julius Caesar in iambic pentameter. And Chloe Baher removed it from my locker and she read it aloud to the whole class. And everyone laughed at me.

Dean: Baby, high school’s over.

Prudie: High school’s never over.

“No dad, what about you!?”
Of course I couldn’t leave out The Breakfast Club. Finding out what it’s like in the Bender family household.

“I’m in the dark, here!”
I love Al Pacino’s character, Colonel Slade in Scent of a Woman. He’s blind and “can’t chew the leather any more.”

“A human life doesn’t mean as much to them as it does to us!”
You know what. 12 Angry Men is one of my favourite movies of all time. Don’t write it off because it’s old or black and white. It’s so powerful. Look it up! This is a great scene:

I’m sure you can think of more. But these are a few of my favourites.

Jodie.

My Favourite Scene: Scent of a Woman

Scent of a Woman (1992): “An amputated spirit, there’s no prosthetic for that!”
Al Pacino plays a blind Colonel who stands up to the system. I love this scene because he is shaking this deep rooted college by the shoulders, waking them up! It gives you chills! He says that schools need to teach the practicality and values that are important in real life and for your soul, not necessarily reputation or how much money one has. That won’t always help you in life.

“If you get all tangled up, you just tango on!”
This scene is incredible! I put this scene on repeat after I first saw it. It’s a metaphor for life, to just try things! Donna is a beautiful and elegant woman who I think is such an awesome character, even though she does not appear in it for very long. A beautiful piece of music too.

Jodie.

Por una Cabeza – Carlos Gardel

This is a fantastic classic.

After watching this scene (tango scene in Scent of a Woman) I wanted to take tango lessons! Yet, I don’t think it was the visuals, but the song that made me fall in love with the scene.

Por una Cabeza (“By a Head”) was written in 1935 by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera. Originally with lyrics, it tells a story about a gambler who compares his love of women with his addiction of betting on race horses.

I think it’s the whining instruments that makes the piece sound like it’s yearning for something, like the song is telling a story of losing somebody… I don’t know. It’s awfully touching though!

This is the best version I have found, I think it’s the French accordion that completes it.

I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do!

You can read my review to Scent of a Woman here. Including the trailer.

Jodie.

Director: Martin Brest
Writer: Based on Ibuio e il miele by Giovanni Arpino
Released: 1992
Featuring: Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell
—

Getting this film in a “two for $20” sale I was cautious, particularly because the front cover showed a rather dated looking image and the title sounded a tad creepy. However, the name ‘Al Pacino’ gave me hope.

Scent of a Woman is an incredibly fascinating film to watch repeatedly because of the script, which is deep and meaningful to say the least.

Al Pacino’s character – referred frequently to as The Colonel – is a blind man who appears to be as mad as a dog at his first screen appearance. But he is such an interesting character I almost wish he were real. He is an experienced soldier and a wise man, who has a story or two to tell.

Chris O’Donnell’s character is Charlie who is hired as Colonel Slade’s aid for a thanksgiving weekend. He is dragged to New York with him, but learns a lot along the way.

There are a couple of incredibly memorable scenes. One is where Colonel does a very moving speech at Charlie’s school. I wrote all about it here. There are some brilliant quotes, and by the end you have total respect for this flawed character.

Scent of a Woman

Colonel: There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these. Their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. There’s no prosthetic for that.

The other memorable scene is the tango scene. Colonel and Charlie are sitting in a restaurant when Colonel senses a woman sat by herself behind them and he asks her to dance the tango with him. It sounds creepy, but it’s actually beautiful.

Colonel: There are no mistakes in the tango. If you get all tangled up, you just tango on!

Scent of a Woman reminds me a lot of Driving Lessons (and many other films including The Intouchables and You’re Not You): Where an old person drags a young person somewhere. The young person doesn’t know jack about life, and learns a lot from the old, wise person. Then, the young person finds out that the old person has big secrets. So they help each other out. I’ve written about this in my post One Story, Six Movies.

scentofawoman15

I love these kind of films though, even if the story isn’t original anymore. I guess they’re coming-of-age films. Films such as Driving Lessons, The Way Way Back, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno and Up In Air. They’re funny but thought-provoking too.

Colonel: “Are you blind?!”
Charlie: “No of course not”
Colonel: “Then why do you keep grabbing my arm? I take YOUR arm.”

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

In case you’re interested – the speech.